Apparatus for cleaning paint brushes



' April 29, 1958 J, E. JOHNSON 2,332,156

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING PAINT BRUSHES Filed Feb: 17. 1954" INVENTOR. JOHN E. JoHNsToN BY W W ATT RNEYS.

United States PatentO APPARATUS FOR CLEANING PAINT BRUSHES John E. Johnson, New Rochelle, N. Y. Application February 17, 1954, Serial No. 410,755 1 Claim. (Cl. 3458) This invention relates to a device for cleaning paint brushes, and more particularly to a device wherein surface material adhering to the bristles of a paint brush may be removed therefrom completely, quickly and easily and without damage to the brush or bristles.

In view of the fact that paint brushes made of good materials and workmanship are relatively expensive, they are expected to remain in use for a considerable. period of time. The useful life of a paintbrush largely depends upon the care taken by the owner in both using the brush and cleaning it after use. This invention is directed to the latter problem.

Paint brushes which are incompletely cleaned are found to rapidly deteriorate in that the bristles harden, warp and break. After use of a paint brush, it is customary to immerse the paint brush in a cleaning material such as turpentine or some other paint solvent until the paint in the brush has gone into solution. The brush is then dried and stored. Such a method of cleaning is satisfactory for the tips of the bristles, but has been found to be unsatisfactory for that portion of the bristles adjacent the brush handle because there, the bristles are compressed together and there is insufiicient access for the cleaning solution to penetrate to the residual paint. Further, in this method considerable time is expended in drying the brush after cleaning.

My invention is directed to an improved method for cleaning a paint brush and to apparatus for accomplishing the same. One of the objects of my invention is to provide a means whereby substantially all of the paint and cleaning solution may be removed from a brush quickly and easily.

Another object of my invention is to provide a method whereby the paint adhering to the bristles adjacent the handle of a paint brush may be removed therefrom.

Still another object of my invention is to provide means whereby a paint brush maybe quickly cleaned and dried without damage to the brush or warping of the bristles.

I have found that substantially all of the paint and cleaning solution may be removed from paint brush bristles, and especially surface material adhering to the bristles adjacent the handle, if the brush is rotated about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the bristles in order that centrifugal force may act upon said surface material to force it from the bristles. By this means the bristles will maintain their original shape and position with respect to the handle, and no warping or distortion will occur.

I prefer to use the following method in cleaning paint brushes. When the paint brush is to be cleaned, I immerse the bristles in a solvent for the particular paint used, and agitate the brush therein, thereby removing most of the paint from the bristles. I then remove the brush from the solvent and rapidly rot-ate it about an axis approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the bristles until such time as surface material is no longer being emitted from the ends of the bristles or until they are completely dry. Inasmuch as paint and cleaning solution will be thrown centrifugally from the bristles during the course of said rotation, I prefer to enclose the rotating brush in a canister or container of suitable size to avoid spattering and to collect said material for later disposition. The rotation may be accomplished either by hand or by connection to a suitable source of power.

I have found that by my method, I may successfully remove substantially all of the paint and cleaning solution and any other surface material from point brush bristles without in any way damaging the paint brush or warping the bristles thereof. This method is superior to previously known. methods of cleaning paint brushesiin that is is more efficient in cleansing action, faster in operation, and does no damage to the paint brush.

I have also devised apparatus whereby my method may be practiced with paint brushes of varying sizes, one embodiment of this apparatus being shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a front elevation;

Fig. 2 is a view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section of a paint brush holder in accordance with my invention.

This apparatus consists of a brush holder 1 comprised of metallic straps 5 and 6 formed and arranged to engage the side edges of stock 16a of a paint brush handle 16. Straps 5 and 6 are provided with corresponding slots 7 and 8 respectively, through which stud bolt 9 passes to permit adjustment of the width of the holder to accommodate different size brushes. Wing nut 10 threadably engages stud bolt 9 to clamp straps 5 and 6 in adjusted position after said straps have been fitted over the side edges of stock 16a.

In order to secure even more effective clamping action, straps 5 and 6 may be provided with flanges 11 and 12 which may be connected by a bolt 14 provided with a wing nut 15 on the threaded end thereof. In operation, after straps 5 and 6 have been fitted on the side edges of stock 16a and clamped in said position by turning wing nut 10, wing nut 15 is turned until the brush is securely fixed in brush holder 1. In Fig. I, stud bolt 9 is shown as connected to shaft 2 of an electric motor 3, but any suitable source of power may be employed to rotate brush holder 1.

In order that the surface material emitted from the brush bristles 4 may be collected, canister 17 is disposed about the rotating holder and brush, the surface material emitted therefrom impinging against: the vertical side walls of canister 17 and collecting at the base thereof for later disposition.

In the use of this apparatus, the paint brush is slipped between straps 5 and 6, which are pressed against the side edges of stock 16a, and wing nut 10 is tightened to secure straps 5 and 6 in said position. Wing nut 15 is turned on bolt 14 until the brush is firmly clamped in holder 1. Stud bolt 9 is then connected coaxially to shaft 2 of motor 3, and brush holder 1 is thereby rotated until all the surface material has been forced centrifugally from bristles 4, or until completely dry, as preferred. As the axis of rotation of the brush is at right angles to the bristles, the surface material on the bristles flows longitudinally along the bristles before being discharged therefrom in the same direction and there is no tendency for the bristles to spread outwardly from their normal positions.

My new method and apparatus for cleaning paint brushes, as described, provides for quicker, easier and more eflicient cleaning of paint brushes with no deterioration therein. I do not intend the scope of my invention 3 to be limited by the above description, but only by the appended claim. I

I claim:

Apparatus for cleaning paint and surface material from paint brush bristles comprising a pair of U-shaped straps adapted to engage the side edges of a paint brush handle, each of said straps having a corresponding elongated slot formed at one end thereof, and an outwardly flanged portion having an opening therein at the other end thereof, a studbolt passing outwardly through said slots, and a wing nut threadably engaging said stud bolt, 2. bolt passing through said opening in said flanged portions and a secondwing nut on the end thereof, whereby said straps are adapted to be secured together about the edges of a paint brush handle by tightening said wing nuts and centrifugal force will act to purge paint and surface material from the bristles of said brush whe said stud bolt is rotated about its axis.

\ Rama, Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Gregg Mar. 27, Pierman Sept. 13, Gravely June 26, Cavitch June 2, Schlesinger Dec. 6, Stellingwerf Apr. 11, Nash June 16, Campbell Apr. 30, Lindsey Aug. 12, Olsen Sept. 21, Liebman Aug. 15,

U S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION John E, Johnson April 29, 1958 Patent No, 2,832,156

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Let uers Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2, line ll, for "point" read --paint--; column 3, line 12, for

"opening" read -openings--.,

Signed and sealed this 1st day of July 1958.

(SEAL) Attest:

KARL H. AXLINE Attesting Officer ROBERT C. WATSON Conmissioner of Patents 

